On December 10, 2021, the US administration imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its officials for serious human rights violations. On its anniversary on December 10 last year, there were fears of sanctions against more officers of the force from the United States. Due to sanctions US State Department Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia commented RAB had made tremendous progress in respect of human rights. But the question remains how it was possible to do horrible actions against its own people. The army should not be called in to deal with our civilians treating as enemies. We cannot pretend ignorance about limitations of those who call themselves political leaders but have no experience to a government.
Donald Lu, during the visit, met with senior government officials including the foreign minister, state minister for foreign affairs, foreign secretary, home minister, prime minister’s private industry and investment adviser, and civil society leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest. The Dhaka-Washington discussion also included many bilateral issues such as trade, economy, human and labour rights, and Indo-Pacific strategy. Though the US emphasized rights issues as the base of its relations with Bangladesh, Dhaka underlined lifting the sanction on the RAB more significantly. Media briefings by the Bangladeshi ministers regarding the discussion with Lu they were occupied with the talks regarding RAB — whether the elite force along with its seven officials should be freed from the US ban.
Many rights organisations, both local and international, have condemned RAB of gross human rights violations like extra-judicial killing, disappearance and torture. RAB was formally launched on 26 March 2004. Earlier the elite force was formed on 12 July 2003 under the Armed Police Battalion (Amendment) Act, 2003. The act was passed through the amendment of Armed Forces Battalion Ordinance 1979 which provides immunity to RAB officers for actions taken in the course of their duty. This force consists of members of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Navy,
Bangladesh Air Force, Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Civil Service and Bangladesh Ansar who return to their own units after service with RAB ends. Though RAB is often blamed for involvement in many extra-judicial killings since its inception, the first blow came to it for such unlawful activity from the US through imposing sanctions.
In South Asia’s present geo-political scenario with the conflict between China, India and America, Bangladesh has become a potential field of exposing the strength of superpowers. The US is trying to increase its engagement with Bangladesh not only to press for free and fair elections, human rights, and labour rights, but also for drawing the country on its side under its Indo-Pacific Strategy. Lu’s visit comes less than a week after the visit of Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, senior director for South Asia at the US National Security Council. More US officials are likely to visit Dhaka later this month and the next.
Our view is no mixed force composing the army should exist only to serve the purpose of unacceptable government.
